Getting a Little Tired of TOL

[Ktoyou]

Maybe it is me, and maybe it is a change in membership? I remember when I had my best debate within the theological constructs of basic Christian Doctrine, meaning debate in the confines of the Trinity understanding, where debate centered on good biblical exegeses. Debated on the difference of settled views and open theism, and understanding of the differences in dispensation and covenant theology.

Even debates of old earth vs 6 day creation is worthy.

Many debates now on whether Jesus is God, or if He is/was a man and how a man cannot be God, leads me without feeling up to a response.

I do not really care much anymore if you are determined to interject lots of Jewish theology into Christian, but I find responding to that boring.


I really miss the old debates I had with Open Theists and how we had differences in our understanding of the nature of God, and how to divide Scripture righteously.

I miss hot tempers like Dave, long reads and responses with Adam, good reads by 'Poly', all the explanations on MAD offered by Randy. And may more of the old members who could debate inside Christian doctrine; They are not here often anyone and that saddens me.

If I left you out, it is because you too seem you too find little posts worthy of serious debate. :sigh:

 

[Tambora]

The good ol' days!

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Maybe it is me, and maybe it is a change in membership?

Yes, there has been quite a shift over the past few years. The general tenor has been more divisive, more cynical, than I can ever recall. You are not imagining this. The site seems to be running on auto pilot nowadays and is dominated with a few, but vocal, odd ducks.

We need to bring back the TOL Topic of the Day to reinvigorate actual discussions and move things away from the usual worn out topics. Some threads just need to die off. Stick a fork in them, they are done.

AMR

 

[Ktoyou]

Yes, there has been quite a shift over the past few years. The general tenor has been more divisive, more cynical, than I can ever recall. You are not imagining this. The site seems to be running on auto pilot nowadays and is dominated with a few, but vocal, odd ducks.

We need to bring back the TOL Topic of the Day to reinvigorate actual discussions and move things away from the usual worn out topics. Some threads just need to die off. Stick a fork in them, they are done.

AMR

I think Knight is going through some changes most men go thugh his age and taking in account of his life. Maybe TOL is not as much fun for him at this point. Besides, he did not lessen his presence until after many of his good old buddies had stopped posting.

Turbo has not been around in a long time.

My feeling is he had a special talent to run this forum like few other have.

 

[ClimateSanity]

I think Knight is going through some changes most men go thugh his age and taking in account of his life. Maybe TOL is not as much fun for him at this point. Besides, he did not lessen his presence until after many of his good old buddies had stopped posting.

Turbo has not been around in a long time.

My feeling is he had a special talent to run this forum like few other have.

I miss Dave

 

[Rusha]

Maybe it is me, and maybe it is a change in membership?

It's not just you, Kat. BTW, I miss Sozo as well. Though he could be difficult, he was a family man and really did have a heart. IMO, what is lacking is the civility and diversity. Also, there is a loss of members who contributed greatly to all sides of the debate such as Bybee, MaryContrary, Granite, etc.

 

[Tambora]

Well I just love this place!

Sure, some are gone that I miss.
But we get some newbies that have been welcome additions.

 

[Tambora]

I don't know about the rest of you, but my mood changes.

Sometimes everything seems to be out of control.
And when that happens, it's a normal tendency to try to get back control.
So you start getting hard-nosed and nit-picking at every little minor thing to "fix" just to get the feeling of a semblance of control again by overcompensating with rules, restrictions, etc. (laying down the law to an extreme!!!!).
Even if you can't "fix" what is the major thing bothering you, if you can "fix" 10 other minor things, then you get some semblance of control.

And then there are those times when everything seems to be going OK.
And during these times, you tend to lax with those minor things and not nit-pick at them at all.

Bad mood, good mood.

What can be particularly frustrating is when you are in a good mood, but others are in bad moods.
You are gleefully letting the minor things go, but they are going after the minor things like pit bulls, and you wonder why they can't all be as tolerant and loving as you are.
And vice-versa, when you are being the pit bull, and everyone else is letting things slide, then you wonder why they are not upset about the minor things like you are. Don't they care????!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recognize that moods fluctuate and that conversations can be bitter one day and pleasant the next depending on the moods (walk in my shoes) of both involved.
On the internet that can be less obvious because typed words sometimes do not carry the tone or mood the person is in.
You may think they are being serious when they are not, or being mad when they are not.
And even worse, the person you are speaking to may be going through something horrifically traumatic and will be very sensitive during that time.
AT moments like that, pouring negativity on them could crush their spirit, while if things had been going well for them it would not crush their spirit.

So it is up to you to take care of yourself with something you CAN control ---- participation at TOL.
If you are in a highly sensitive state, it would not be wise to DEPEND on TOL to know and respond accordingly.
There might be some that will comfort you, but there might be some that will not.
If you are in a highly sensitive state where any negativity would be a blow to you, it might be best to stay away from TOL till your sensitivity level has improved.
I've had to do that a time or two.

 

[patrick jane]

I don't know about the rest of you, but my mood changes.

Sometimes everything seems to be out of control.
And when that happens, it's a normal tendency to try to get back control.
So you start getting hard-nosed and nit-picking at every little minor thing to "fix" just to get the feeling of a semblance of control again by overcompensating with rules, restrictions, etc. (laying down the law to an extreme!!!!).
Even if you can't "fix" what is the major thing bothering you, if you can "fix" 10 other minor things, then you get some semblance of control.

And then there are those times when everything seems to be going OK.
And during these times, you tend to lax with those minor things and not nit-pick at them at all.

Bad mood, good mood.

What can be particularly frustrating is when you are in a good mood, but others are in bad moods.
You are gleefully letting the minor things go, but they are going after the minor things like pit bulls, and you wonder why they can't all be as tolerant and loving as you are.
And vice-versa, when you are being the pit bull, and everyone else is letting things slide, then you wonder why they are not upset about the minor things like you are. Don't they care????!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recognize that moods fluctuate and that conversations can be bitter one day and pleasant the next depending on the moods (walk in my shoes) of both involved.
On the internet that can be less obvious because typed words sometimes do not carry the tone or mood the person is in.
You may think they are being serious when they are not, or being mad when they are not.
And even worse, the person you are speaking to may be going through something horrifically traumatic and will be very sensitive during that time.
AT moments like that, pouring negativity on them could crush their spirit, while if things had been going well for them it would not crush their spirit.

So it is up to you to take care of yourself with something you CAN control ---- participation at TOL.
If you are in a highly sensitive state, it would not be wise to DEPEND on TOL to know and respond accordingly.
There might be some that will comfort you, but there might be some that will not.
If you are in a highly sensitive state where any negativity would be a blow to you, it might be best to stay away from TOL till your sensitivity level has improved.
I've had to do that a time or two.

Very good assessment and observations. I've grown nearly immune to non-Biblical teachings and don't reply for the most part. Reading and absorbing scripture always helps me feel better. Conversely, I feel an urge or a need to respond to political posts in the last 20 months or so, and there is so much negativity there. I am trying to let that go because I have no control in it. Sometimes if I get too worked up and have a "bad day" on TOL it bothers me at bed time. :chuckle:

 

[Ktoyou]

It's not just you, Kat. BTW, I miss Sozo as well. Though he could be difficult, he was a family man and really did have a heart. IMO, what is lacking is the civility and diversity. Also, there is a loss of members who contributed greatly to all sides of the debate such as Bybee, MaryContrary, Granite, etc.

Ahh, Dave, loved to get down in the mud with him; he was a muddy guy and that would make me on the muddy side too :jawdrop:

We would neg each other and leave messages, like" are you having fun?, " you bet!" He also called me names, and I would do the same, but when he came back last time and started to do it, I sent him a message saying I was too old to keep doing it and he stopped and never played that game with me again. He is sort of a decent Christian man who had a foul mouthed streak, but it was not meant to be mean as it seemed to many.

I had some fun with Crash, like him telling me he was going to take me out to a rock concert and I need to get well and go because I was mainly sick in my head. He was really a funny guy.

There was so much more interaction then, even those who would tell me what I did not really understand about the Open View. It seemed like everyone know where everyone was then.

I miss all those old members.

 

[Ktoyou]

Bybee, I liked her a lot, she was about my age and we got along well. I had her moderate the women;s group along with you Rusha, but I never took time to show her how to do it. Then she was a board mod a short while, but I o not think she found it a=easy to ban people> Mary Contrary was great too a,d had an interesting history, we got along well.

HAD SOME GOOD TIMES WITH Nineveh; she did not like me much at one time and thought I was a deist, like Thomas Jefferson.Then later, she came around to liking alright, but i had the feeling she always thought I was a bit strange. which, in a way, I am

Another old buddy was Cattyfan, she was very kind and sweet, but she lost her mod job and decided to leave TOl; i miss her too.

I think when Knight still had some kid in him, TOL was more fun; he was a good leader and quite playful.

 

[Ktoyou]

Very good assessment and observations. I've grown nearly immune to non-Biblical teachings and don't reply for the most part. Reading and absorbing scripture always helps me feel better. Conversely, I feel an urge or a need to respond to political posts in the last 20 months or so, and there is so much negativity there. I am trying to let that go because I have no control in it. Sometimes if I get too worked up and have a "bad day" on TOL it bothers me at bed time. :chuckle:

but they are so boring and no fun at all!

 

[Interplanner]

Maybe it is me, and maybe it is a change in membership? I remember when I had my best debate within the theological constructs of basic Christian Doctrine, meaning debate in the confines of the Trinity understanding, where debate centered on good biblical exegeses. Debated on the difference of settled views and open theism, and understanding of the differences in dispensation and covenant theology.

Even debates of old earth vs 6 day creation is worthy.

Many debates now on whether Jesus is God, or if He is/was a man and how a man cannot be God, leads me without feeling up to a response.

I do not really care much anymore if you are determined to interject lots of Jewish theology into Christian, but I find responding to that boring.


I really miss the old debates I had with Open Theists and how we had differences in our understanding of the nature of God, and how to divide Scripture righteously.

I miss hot tempers like Dave, long reads and responses with Adam, good reads by 'Poly', all the explanations on MAD offered by Randy. And may more of the old members who could debate inside Christian doctrine; They are not here often anyone and that saddens me.

If I left you out, it is because you too seem you too find little posts worthy of serious debate. :sigh:

It could be that your 'dividing Scripture' is the problem. That is not at all what the passage meant. Look up the back ground of genealogies and words from the Law. Paul was telling Timothy those pursuits would not help churches get necessary things done.

Could you explain how D'ism is good exegesis? It messes with grammatical-historical all the time.

 

[WatchmanOnTheWall]

I do not really care much anymore if you are determined to interject lots of Jewish theology into Christian, but I find responding to that boring.

Christianity is Jewish. We believe in a Jewish Messiah. The king of the Jews. Who died at Passover - a Jewish feast and rose on First Fruits another Jewish feast. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit at the Jewish feast of Shavout that we call Pentecost. And there is the Day of Atonement (the last Trump) to be fulfilled and the feast Tabernacles for Jesus to complete when He returns to His temple, both of these are Jewish feasts too.

Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose:

Passover : Fulfilled by Jesus

Shavout : Fulfilled by Jesus

Tabernacles : To be Fulfilled…

 

[WatchmanOnTheWall]

delete please

 

[WatchmanOnTheWall]

I do not really care much anymore if you are determined to interject lots of Jewish theology into Christian, but I find responding to that boring.

The Hebrew word Messiah means anointed and in Greek anointed is Christos or Christ from which we get the word Christian.

 

[Ktoyou]

The Hebrew word Messiah means anointed and in Greek anointed is Christos or Christ from which we get the word Christian.

wonderful.......:yawn:

 

[Ktoyou]

Christianity is Jewish.

Not so. The idea emerged out of the puritans, an American mixing of NT with OT undivided, one big hodgepodge.

 

[Zeke]

Maybe it is me, and maybe it is a change in membership? I remember when I had my best debate within the theological constructs of basic Christian Doctrine, meaning debate in the confines of the Trinity understanding, where debate centered on good biblical exegeses. Debated on the difference of settled views and open theism, and understanding of the differences in dispensation and covenant theology.

Even debates of old earth vs 6 day creation is worthy.

Many debates now on whether Jesus is God, or if He is/was a man and how a man cannot be God, leads me without feeling up to a response.

I do not really care much anymore if you are determined to interject lots of Jewish theology into Christian, but I find responding to that boring.


I really miss the old debates I had with Open Theists and how we had differences in our understanding of the nature of God, and how to divide Scripture righteously.

I miss hot tempers like Dave, long reads and responses with Adam, good reads by 'Poly', all the explanations on MAD offered by Randy. And may more of the old members who could debate inside Christian doctrine; They are not here often anyone and that saddens me.

If I left you out, it is because you too seem you too find little posts worthy of serious debate. :sigh:

Seasons change, the progression from one periods death giving way to the life of the new makes the old guard nervous, to me "now" the old traditional views of doctrinal certainty is built on this exoteric worlds govern-mentalist brain washing via man worship that stagnate like still water that has no fresh water coming in to clean out the old debris of the christian/Roman theological system built up by debating the same programming that indoctrinated them exoterically/intellectually from time of birth to time of death where alls things are not possible except in some futuristic world that is based on observational signs Luke 17:20-21 is the answer to Matt 11:11.

 

[Danoh]

Not so. The idea emerged out of the puritans, an American mixing of NT with OT undivided, one big hodgepodge.

Yep - which is how the whole "God inspired country" myth orginated - the doctrine among those early settlers who were Believers, was basically one version or another of the Reformed "spiritual Israel" myth.

Nevertheless, Rom. 14:5 towards them, in memory of Rom. 5:6-8.